Redhead Community Preschool
At Redhead Community Preschool, we believe that the early years are the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. As an Exceeding National Quality Standard service, we are proud to provide a warm, nurturing, and high-quality environment where children feel safe, valued, and inspired to explore. We are able to proudly say that generations of our community got their best start at Redhead Community Preschool.
For almost 60 years, our passionate and highly qualified educators have created and continue to design engaging, play-based learning experiences that foster curiosity, creativity, and confidence. We embrace each child’s unique strengths, interests, and cultural background, ensuring that every child is supported in reaching their full potential.
We are committed to strong relationships with families and the community, working together to create an inclusive and enriching early childhood journey. Our programs are guided by the Early Years Learning Framework 2.0 (EYLF) and a deep understanding of best-practice teaching, ensuring that every child receives the highest level of care and education. At Redhead Community Preschool, we don’t just prepare children for school, we prepare them for life.
Come and experience the difference of the only Exceeding-rated service in our area, where children thrive, families feel connected, and learning is filled with wonder and joy.
Our Values
Relationships
We believe that strong, nurturing and respectful relationships are the foundations of a child’s sense of belonging, security and confidence. We create a nurturing and responsive environment where every child feels safe, heard, and valued. Our educators work collaboratively to create a team environment that is professional, respectful and supportive.
We recognise that families are children’s first and most important teachers, and we work in partnership with them to gain a shared understanding of each child, including their cultural and religious backgrounds.
Our partnership with parents begins with our orientation meeting and continues through regular “working together” meetings throughout the year. Families are also invited to be actively involved in many different ways within our preschool community.
We extend children’s learning beyond our preschool by fostering strong connections with our local community, ensuring every child develops a sense of belonging both within the preschool and the broader world around them.
Community
We acknowledge the Awabakal people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live and learn. We are committed to deepening children’s understanding of Aboriginal culture and history through genuine connections with the local Awabakal community. Cultural learning is woven into our daily practice through stories, music, art, symbols, and our regular Acknowledgment of Country.
Our preschool program is enriched through meaningful community involvement. Children engage in real-world learning experiences through local excursions and visits from community members such as firefighters, surf lifesavers and police officers. Regular walking excursions to the local shops, post office, duck pond, Redhead Men’s shed, Aged Care Facility, Redhead Public School, pump track, Redhead Beach and nearby cafés provide children with opportunities to explore and connect with their community in everyday ways. We also contribute to community events such as Anzac Day, Remembrance Day, and Clean Up Australia Day, helping children to develop an early sense of civic pride and responsibility.
We also work in partnership with organisations including First Chance Inclusion Support, On Track Speech Therapy, Atune Kids Occupational Therapy, Northcott (NDIS pathway) and the Samaritans, ensuring children and families are supported holistically.
By engaging closely with families, schools, health professionals, community organisations and local groups, we provide children with authentic experiences that extend their learning well beyond the preschool. These strong connections support children to develop empathy, resilience and social responsibility, qualities that will guide them throughout their lives.
Sustainability
We believe that teaching children about social, economic and environmental sustainability from an early age helps create responsible, thoughtful and engaged global citizens. Our approach to sustainability is embedded throughout all our practices, ensuring that children develop an understanding of their role in caring for their environment, contributing to the community, and making mindful choices.
At Redhead Community Preschool, sustainability is a hands-on experience. The children care for our worm farm by collecting food scraps in their worm bins, learning how waste can be transformed into valuable resources for the garden. Our mantra, “If we all use a little bit, there will be enough for everyone forever”, guides our daily practices and encourages the children to understand the importance of sharing and conserving.
Water conservation is actively promoted, with the children helping to empty the pond using buckets to water our gardens. They also see how our solar panels and water tanks reduce our footprint and support sustainable living.
Creativity is also nurtured through our unique art program, where children work on the same collaborative piece of art across their three days of attendance. This thoughtful process allows them to see the value of time, effort, and shared contribution.
Through these experiences, children learn that sustainability is not just a concept, it is a way of life that connects us all and ensures a better future for generations to come.
About Us
Redhead Community Preschool is situated on Awabakal Land and was established in 1966 as a non-profit community-based Preschool by a parent committee made up of local families requiring an educational Preschool program for their children.
Today the Preschool continues to operate as a non-profit community Preschool in conjunction with a parent committee at the same location.
Our building is owned by Lake Macquarie City Council and was originally the Redhead Memorial Hall and then used as the local picture theatre, where local families would come along to enjoy a Saturday night together. Prior to becoming a Preschool our building was used as the Redhead Public School kindergarten classroom for several years.
Visitors often comment on the large open space of our indoor environment which reflects the buildings previous use.
Generations of families have brought their children through the Preschool. Grandparents who established the Preschool bring in their grandchildren and parents who attended themselves now enrol their own children.
A Day at our Preschool
Come along with us to experience a day in the life of our preschool through the lens of our citizens.
Our Team
Welcome to our team of passionate and experienced educators! With over 100 years of collective experience, we bring a wealth of knowledge, dedication, and a shared commitment to nurturing the potential of every child. Our diverse backgrounds and expertise allow us to create engaging, personalised learning experiences that empower children to thrive. We're here to support, inspire, and guide each child on their educational journey, and we're proud to be a part of their success!
